Anime roundup 3/16/2017: The Wrong Stuff

Saga of Tanya the Evil #9 – For all the human and divine enemies she’s making, this show is at its best when Tanya is defeated by her own success. A whole battalion of Anson Siouxs would not have half the entertainment value of the moment when Herr Doktor Schugel abruptly re-enters her life.

Having done such a splendid job as the rearguard of a fake retreat, her reward is to be strapped into a barely controllable rocket for delivery deep behind enemy lines in an all-or-nothing gamble. (Fun fact: A piloted version of the V-1 was developed in our timeline, but never used operationally. Test pilots did report that the engine vibrations made it difficult to steer.) Just another day for her, at this point.

The confrontation from last episode is left hanging a bit. Grantz is still on duty like nothing ever happened. He seems to be making his peace with “I was just following orders.” Well, what was that gunshot all about, then?

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans #47 – Orga has finally come to terms with the fact that Fareed is neither a good guy nor a reliable ally, and is ready to part ways with him. Realizing what dire straits Tekkadan is in, he also frees anyone to go who wants to before the possible end. And it’s all too late. Tekkadan is cut off from society, decent or otherwise, surrounded by Gjallarhorn, about to be eradicated.

For most of them – as Zack still doesn’t quite understand – it’s how they started out anyway. They never had homes to go to, never had an opportunity for respectable work. So if Orga failed to lift them out of that, well, they’re familiar with the situation and still willing to stand by him.

At the very last minute, they remember that there is one favor they can still call in, but they’ll have to fight their way through Gjallarhorn to even have a chance. This really is the last battle. This is where Tekkadan ends, in name at least. This is the one Mikazuki might not survive, at least not as a independently functioning human being.

But he will leave behind a family. Awkward as they are, he and Atra and Kudelia have found their way to being able to fully confess all their feelings for each other. This show may have screwed up the gay romance but it’s done full justice to the poly one here.

CHAOS;CHILD #9 – Senri figures it all out, but then is conveniently put out of action after confronting Onoe. (Well, it is her second major torso wound in a month or so.) That leaves it to Mio to gently guide Takuru toward the truth and then stuff his face in it when he still doesn’t get it.

Takuru’s power isn’t mere psychokinesis – he managed to physically manifest his imaginary friend. Unfortunately, his fantasy of a best friend is someone who cares about his needs above everything else, to the extent that she’s willing to set up a bizarre murder case for him to investigate.

And yet, it’s hinted that someone else is pulling Onoe’s strings. So who else could be behind the next curtain? The mad scientists/religious cult that kicked this all off, perhaps?

ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept. #10 – After swinging through the deserts of Yakkara and Pranetta, Jean returns to headquarters and a vague warning that something may have happened while he was away. When pressed, Lotta finally mentions that, oh yeah, some people from the senior princess’s household did try to kidnap or kill her or something. But she couldn’t tell Jean about that because she didn’t want to distract him from his important work. Also, she’s totally known something was up with Nino ever since she learned that he wasn’t cool with the idea of marrying a toddler.

Meanwhile, more and more of ACCA’s upper echelons are on board with the idea that their civilian organization can yank control of the country away from the entrenched monarchy without bloodshed. How hard can it be?

Possible ill health on the part of the king is moving everyone’s careful plans up, though. ACCA might not get to have its 100th birthday party before he croaks. Oh no! And the princess is letting her assassins know that she’d really like some actual assassinating out of them next time. Because who could have realized until now that a 99-year-old guy might drop dead at any moment?

AAAAAAARGH. Are there chemicals in the sandwich bread killing everyone’s brain cells or what? At this point I’m rooting for everyone to die in the bloody civil war that ensues after the king dies and Furawau tries to take over.